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Eternal India
encyclopedia
RELIGIONS
appellations of Teertha, Asrama, Vana, Aranya, Giri, Parvata, Sagara,
Saraswati, Bharati and Puri.
When Shankara went to Kamarup (modern Gauhati) he met
Abhinava Gupta and defeated him in argument. It is said that in
revenge his followers used occult means to harm Shankara who began
to vomit blood. He recovered and went to Kedamath. But Shankara's
work in the world was done. Entering a cave in the Himalayas he dis-
appeared at the age of 32.
RAMANUJACHARYA
(1017-1137 A.D.)
Ramanuja, the Vaishnavite philosopher who propounded the doc-
trine of
Vishistadvaita
or qualified monism, was born in 1017 A.D. in
Sriperumbudur, near Madras on the road to Kancheepuram. His mother
was a grand-daughter of Sri Yamunacharya, the religious head of
Srirangam. He had his early educa-
tion under his father. When he was
15 he was taken to Kancheepuram
where he was put to school along
with a consin of his Hearing about
his intelligence Sri Yamunacharya
travelled to Kancheepuram to find
out whether he could make him his
successor. He observed Ramanjuja
unobtrusively and returned satis-
fied. When he was 25 years old, in
compliance with his mother's wishes, he married and began to lead the
life of a householder.
At this time Yamunacharya sent his disciple Mahapoorna to Kan-
cheepuram to fetch Ramanuja so that he might formally instal him as
his successor. Unfortunately Yamunacharya passed away just before
Ramanuja reached Srirangam. Three fingers of the body remained
folded indicating three unfulfilled wishes. On enquiry Ramanuja was
told that the Acharya had left three commands for him. The first was
that he should dedicate himself to the elucidation of the sacred scrip-
tures. The second was that he should popularise the Divya Prabhandas.
The third was that he should train a line of worthy disciples to carry on
the tradition of Sri Vaishnavism. Ramanuja took a vow to fulfil these
commands. Ramanuja returned to Kancheepuram. Mahapoorna later
went to Kancheepuram and stayed with Ramanuja for some time.
Sri Ramanuja's wife was not very helpful in his pursuit of spiritu-
ality. She frequently quarrelled with Mahapoorna's wife. This led to
Mahapoorna leaving Kancheepuram. After another incident, Ramanuja
decided to break with his wife and home. He was then 32. He put on
the ochre robe, the robe of renunciation. Srirangam became the head
quarters of his work. He undertook a pilgrimage from Rameshwaram
to Badrinath, travelling northwards along the west coast and returning
along the east coast. He went to Kashmir. He passed away in
Srirangam in 1137 at the age of 120.
MADHVACHARYA
(1199-1278)
Madhva, who propounded the philosophy of
Dvaita
or dualism,
was born in a village near Udupi. His childhood name was Vasudeva.
His parents were Shivalli Brahmins. After he had completed his studies
he went in search for a guru. He was accepted by Purushothama
Theertha of the Bhandarkara Math in Udupi as a novice on probation.
He was given the new name of Poorna Prajna. In course of time the
Guru thought it was not necessary to keep him as a noviate and decided
to make him the heir apparent to the pontifical throne. He was admitted
under the designation of Ananda
Theertha. Eminent scholars came to
Udupi to listen to him and Madhva
began to employ his powers to attack
Shankara's Advaita. While allowing
the force of his argument, the Guru
pointed out that he had not replaced that
system by a cogent commentary of his
own which could stand the test of time.
The Guru challenged him to write one if
he could. He accepted the challenge.
Together with his Guru he set out from Udupi and passed through
Mangalore, Cochin and Trivandrum reaching Rameshwaram. From
there he proceeded through the Pandya and Chola Kingdoms to
Srirangam, Chandragiri and other places before returning to Udupi.
Soon after his return he wrote a commentary on the
Bhagvad Gita,
He placed it before his Guru and sought his permission to go on a pil-
grimage to Badri. In the company of a brother disciple, Satya Theertha,
and a few other followers, he started. He reached Banaras, bathed in the
Ganges, and proceeded to Badri pitching his camp at a place called
Ananda Math. He began writing his commentary on the Brahma sutras
as soon as the party reached the plains on the return journey. The party
travelled along the east coast. Madhva began preaching his philosophy
and converting people to his fold. He exhorted them to renounce
Advaita and banish the delusion that man is or can be God. He taught
Bhakti and whole-hearted surrender to God. It is said that one day when
he went for a bath in the sea he saw a ship in distress and prayed for its
safety. When it reached the shore, its captain presented to Madhava a
huge lump of earth. When it was taken to the math, it broke in two
revealing an image of Krishna inside. It had come from Dwaraka where
it had lain covered by earth. Madhva built a temple, installed the image
and became its worshipper. Later, he ordained eight ascetics, placed
them each in charge of a separate Math and made them responsible for
the worship and festivals in the Sri Krishna temple.
Madhva lived for 79 years. His system of philosophy differs
radically from both Advaita and Visishtadvaita which is a qualified
form of monism. He is one of the leaders of the Bhakti movement.
KABIR
(1440-1518)
This great saint - poet lived in the 15th century. There is no firm
evidence regarding the place of his birth. It is believed to be either
Kashi (modern Banaras or Varanasi), Magahar (near Kashi) or Be-
lahara Village in Azamgarh. About Kabir's parents and his caste too
there are different versions. One is that he was a discarded child born
of a Brahmin widow (the father being unknown) who was picked up
by a Muslim weaver couple, Niru and Nima. The other version is that
he was born to this couple. In one of his poems he says that his parents
died when he was young. This is the only reference to them in his
poems. Though Kabir was a weaver and weaving was his profession,
his heart was not in his profession. He was more concerned with God-
seeking meditation and philosophic thought. In one of his hymns he
says:
"Kabir has renounced all spinning and weaving. The name of
Hari (God) is imprinted all over the body
."
Kabir was far from being honoured in his lifetime. He was ignored
because of his birth in a low caste and jeered at for assuming a preacher's
role.